Austerity is a result of reckless decisions

In her recent letter (May 2) Dr Margaret O’Keeffe makes a number of observations about what she calls ‘austerity fatigue’.

She is right when she says austerity fatigue is growing and that cuts in the public sector cause losses in purchasing power across the economy. Given the increased stridency of the public debate, however, I have doubts about her assertion that “there is increasing awareness that the well-being and prosperity of us all is inextricably linked”.

‘What I have I hold and the devil take the hindmost’ seems more and more to be the motto. That is so, even among those prominent people who were part of the decisions, taken during the Celtic tiger period, which bankrupted the country.

What is definitely not right is her statement that “the public are far ahead of the curve on public policy issues”.

During the Celtic tiger era, the public were told all in the garden was rosy and they were the last to be told when the country went bankrupt. The troika were practically in the airport before that happened. Similarly, the mantra that austerity is bad for us — that Government departments are spending billions more than is being collected in taxes is being ignored.

The truth is, austerity fatigue and damage to purchasing power notwithstanding, austerity is unavoidable due to the recklessness of our most powerful citizens.

A Leavy

Sutton

Dublin 13